Tiger Woods, Nike Close To Deal

DUBLIN, Ohio — Tiger Woods is close to signing a new deal with his longtime equipment and apparel sponsor Nike that will “emphatically” keep him as golf’s top-paid endorser, according to his agent, Mark Steinberg.

Woods’ current contract, signed in 2006, is set to expire sometime before the end of the year. But Steinberg told ESPN.com “we’re down to the very, very short strokes right now … I would expect we would come out with some sort of joint announcement when we get the paperwork signed. I hope this is viewed as a pretty bold statement.”

Woods, who said he knows “all that goes on, every working part,” of the contract negotiations, expects to sign the new deal perhaps as soon as the June 13-16 U.S. Open is complete.

“[The document’s] just got to get in front of me,” Woods said Sunday after finishing in a tie for 65th at the Memorial Tournament. “Just a matter of time.”